Monday, April 21, 2008

PRP Used in Chronic Knee Tendonitis

Dr. Mishra's method of using platelet rich plasma to treat chronic knee tendonitis was discussed in a recent story about a college football Player. Here is a link to the story.

Please also visit our new website: Tendon Tips to view a story about Tiger Woods' recent knee surgery

Apex PRP.com

Total Tendon

Friday, April 04, 2008

Platelet Rich Plasma on TV in Los Angeles

A TV story on ABC7 in Los Angeles California just aired. The story discusses the value of using platelet rich plasma for chronic tennis elbow. It follows a patient who is an avid tennis player who was able to return to her game with a single PRP injection.

Link to TV Story

Apex PRP.com

Total Tendon.com

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Platelet Rich Plasma Basic Science

This is a video produced by Dr. Allan Mishra discussing the basic science of PRP. Future videos will discuss cell culture, animal and human studies. For more information, please visit either Total Tendon or ApexPRP.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

More Evidence that PRP may heal Tendons

In this study the authors found that PRP releasate stimulated cell proliferation and total collagen production. It is an interesting article that adds to the growing body of PRP knowledge.


Total Tendon

ApexPRP

Can Platelet-Rich Plasma Enhance Tendon Repair? A Cell Culture Study.

BACKGROUND: Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) application appears to improve tendon healing in traumatic tendon injuries, but basic knowledge of how PRP promotes tendon repair is needed. HYPOTHESIS: Platelet-rich plasma has a positive effect on cell proliferation and collagen production and induces the production of matrix-degrading enzymes and endogenous growth factors by human tenocytes. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: Human tenocytes were cultured 14 days in 2% fetal calf serum medium complemented with 0%, 10%, or 20% vol/vol platelet-rich clot releasate ([PRCR] the active releasate of PRP) or platelet-poor clot releasate (PPCR). At day 4, 7, and 14, cell amount, total collagen, and gene expression of collagen Ialpha1 (COL1) and IIIalpha1 (COL3), matrix metalloproteinases ([MMPs] MMP1, MMP3, and MMP13), vascular endothelial-derived growth factor (VEGF)-A, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 were analyzed. RESULTS: Platelet numbers in PRP increased to 2.55 times baseline. Growth-factor concentrations of VEGF and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB were higher in PRCR than PPCR. Both PRCR and PPCR increased cell number and total collagen, whereas they decreased gene expression of COL1 and COL3 without affecting the COL3/COL1 ratio. PRCR, but not PPCR, showed upregulation of MMP1 and MMP3 expression. Matrix metalloproteinase 13 expression was not altered by either treatment. PRCR increased VEGF-A expression at all time points and TGF-beta1 expression at day 4. CONCLUSION: In human tenocyte cultures, PRCR, but also PPCR, stimulates cell proliferation and total collagen production. PRCR, but not PPCR, slightly increases the expression of matrix-degrading enzymes and endogenous growth factors. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In vivo use of PRP, but also of PPP to a certain extent, in tendon injuries might accelerate the catabolic demarcation of traumatically injured tendon matrices and promote angiogenesis and formation of a fibrovascular callus. Whether this will also be beneficial for degenerative tendinopathies remains to be elucidated. Am J Sports Med. 2008 Mar 7

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Platelet Rich Plasma Wins!

In our informal survey of best names, "Platelet Rich Plasma" won with 61% of the vote with "PRP" taking 22%, "Platelet Gel" 8% and "Platelet Enriched Plasma and Growth Factors" 4% each. With a total of 83% of the votes, Platelet Rich Plasma/PRP wins in a landslide.

I propose we end the argument of what to name it and begin to define it in studies moving forward. The landscape of PRP is scattered at best. In order to figure out how best to use this important tool, we must agree on what we are talking about. Please see the post below for a definition that is published in the literature.

I am repeating the survey of what machine producing the best PRP. I'll post the results in a month.

Total Tendon

Apex PRP.com

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

What is platelet rich plasma (PRP)?

Marx one of the pioneers of PRP defined it quite simply: "it is a volume of autologous plasma that has a platelet concentration above baseline". (Marx, Implant Dentistry Dec. 2001, pp. 225-228) There have been other attempts to specific what define PRP but I think this one is the best.

I would add that PRP naturally is unactivated. In his paper, Dr. Marx states that activation of platelet results 70% of the stored growth factors being secreted with in 10 minutes and close to 100% within the first hour. That makes it clear that PRP should NOT be activated until it is ready to be used. As I have consistently suggested, PRP should not be activated at all except in vivo by the collagen that is abundant within most connective tissues.

Any comments on this paper would be appreciated.

Total Tendon

ApexPRP

Sunday, February 10, 2008

PRP activates Circulating Cells

The article referenced below discusses how locally injected PRP can mobilize cells to help heal a tendon. This provides solid mechanistic evidence to use PRP for tendon injuries and disorders and helps explain the positive clinical results. It is an excellent study and the authors have contributed significantly to our understanding of how PRP works.

Total Tendon and Apex PRP

Platelet-rich plasma enhances the initial mobilization of circulation-derived cells for tendon healing.

J. Cell Physiology Jan. 2008

Circulation-derived cells play a crucial role in the healing processes of tissue. In early phases of tendon healing processes, circulation-derived cells temporarily exist in the wounded area to initiate the healing process and decrease in number with time. We assumed that a delay of time-dependent decrease in circulation-derived cells could improve the healing of tendons. In this study, we injected platelet-rich plasma (PRP) containing various kinds of growth factors into the wounded area of the patellar tendon, and compared the effects on activation of circulation-derived cells and enhancement of tendon healing with a control group (no PRP injection). To follow the circulation-derived cells, we used a green fluorescent protein (GFP) chimeric rat expressing GFP in the circulating cells and bone marrow cells. In the PRP group, the numbers of GFP-positive cells and heat-shock protein (HSP47; collagen-specific molecular chaperone)-positive cells were significantly higher than in the control group at 3 and 7 days after injury. At the same time, the immunoreactivity for types I and III collagen was higher in the PRP group than in the control group at early phase of tendon healing. These findings suggest that locally injected PRP is useful as an activator of circulation-derived cells for enhancement of the initial tendon healing process. J. Cell. Physiol. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Total Tendon Network

A new network of both Patients and Providers has been created to improve the diagnosis and treatment of tendon related injuries and disorders. Discussion groups, pictures and video can be posted on this FREE network. Patients and Providers (Surgeons, Phyisicans, Physical Therapist etc) have joined from North America, Europe, South American, Australia and Asia.

Joining is simple and FREE.

Click here to sign up for the Total Tendon Network.

Brought to you by Total Tendon

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery Article


Dr. Mishra's recent trip to Europe was featured in the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery's Magazine: AAOS Now. The article titled "AAOS fellow takes European PRP Tour" was feature in the Jan. 2008 issue. The picture above is Dr. Mishra assisting on a platelet rich plasma enchanced achilles tendon repair in Sweden.


Click here to view AAOS Platelet Rich Plasma view article

Another sports medicine meeting in Chamonix France focusing on PRP will take place at the end of Jan 2008. Details of both meetings will be posted here soon.

Total Tendon

PRP Stimulates the greatest number of genes

According to recent reports from BEVA 2007, Cornell researchers examined the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in horses with tendon injury, according to Schramme (Schnabel et al., Journal of Orthopedic Research, 2007). "The rationale is that if platelets release considerable growth factors, you could help with the healing of cartilage, tendons, ligaments)," he said.

"This study looked at gene expression patterns, DNA, and collagen content of equine tendon explants cultured (in vitro) with whole blood, plasma, and platelet-rich plasma," he continued. Concentrations of TGF-รข1 and PDGF were higher in PRP-treated tendons, compared to other blood products and bone marrow."

Schramme commented that all blood products stimulate gene expression, PRP seemed to stimulate the greatest number of genes (collagen types II and III, and COMP), with no c with no concomitant (accompanying) increase in molecules of harmful enzymes. "These findings support in vivo (in the live animal) investigation of 100% PRP as an autogenous (generated in the body), patient-side treatment for tendonitis," he noted. "It's another treatment that we need to carefully evaluate in vivo as it continues to come along.

Total Tendon.com

Apex PRP.com

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Platelet Rich Plasma for Colonic Anastomosis

Below is yet another recent study outlining the benefits of PRP in surgery. The data supports the use of platelet rich plasma for further study in colonic anastomosis. Similar data has already been published supporting the use of PRP for achilles tendon repairs. For more PRP information, visit: Apex PRP.com
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J Surg Res. 2007 Oct 26
Effects of Platelet Rich Plasma on Colonic Anastomosis.Tekin A, Yol S, Yilmaz H, Kรผรงรผkkartallar T, Esen H, Caglayan O.
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PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on tissue maturation and wound healing in experimental colonic anastomosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups of 10 rats each. Group I (control group) was subjected to colon anastomosis only. Group II (PRP group) was subjected to colon anastomosis and topical PRP was applied. Group III (Bioglue group) was subjected to colon anastomosis and topical tissue sealant was applied (Bioglue; Cryolife, Kennesaw, GA). The rats were sacrificed on postoperative day 7, and the bursting pressure of the anastomosis and tissue hydroxyproline levels were measured; histopathological changes on the anastomosis line were also examined. RESULTS: The bursting pressure was statistically higher in the PRP group than in the control and Bioglue groups (P <>
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